Effects of salbutamol upon performance on an operant screen for antidepressants

The adrenergic () agonist salbutamol increased reinforcement rates and decreased response rates on a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate (DRL) 72-S schedule.These changes in DRL 72-S schedule performance are also produced by most clinically used antidepressants.The effects of salbutamol on a DRL 72-S schedule were dose-dependently antagonized by the antagonist metoprolol, but not changed by the 5HT antagonist methysergide. Additionally, neither salbutamol nor the antagonism of salbutamol by metoprolol caused disruption of DRL 72-S schedule performance. These results indicate that stimulation of receptors, and not of 5HT receptors, mediates salbutamol antidepressant-like effects on a DRL 72-S schedule.This work supported by NIMH PHS MH-19111Recipient Research Scientist Award MH-10562